Volunteers are helping to record and preserve threatened and rare plants found in floodplain meadows across the country, thanks to a project supported by the Open University.
The Floodplain Meadows Partnership, supported by the OU, has been recording the change in the population of snake’s head fritillary - a rare plant - at North Meadow, Cricklade, in Wiltshire, for over 10 years. This count takes place at the time of peak flowering in mid April every year by a team of volunteers.
"One of the key species that we collect data on is the rare snake’s head fritillary, found on only a handful of sites in the UK," says Floodplain Meadows Outreach Co-Ordinator Emma Rothero.
"In particular, the Open University has collected data from North Meadow, a National Nature Reserve in Wiltshire, owned and managed by Natural England, and home to 80 per cent of the UK population of these special plants."
The project collects data on plant species and plant communities found within floodplain meadows, as well as information about hydrology, soil fertility and structure, and site management.
The annual count is done using the help of volunteers and this video shows you what they got up to during the 2011 count.
If you would like to get involved - volunteers are already being sought for the 2012 count - or find out more, visit the website. You can also take part in a plant quiz, go on a virtual walk, find meadow sites near you and become part of Meadow Watch.
